LHS team heads to National Science Bowl
It was down to the wire.
During the double overtime match for the Far NorCal Regional Science Bowl competition against U-Prep, the five Lassen High School representatives battled, and eventually nabbed, the regional title, landing them an all-expense-paid trip to Washington D.C. for Nationals.
“The final game was just crazy,” said the Science Bowl coach Kevin McCullough. “They kind of came back and shocked everybody.”
The five team members, Kristen Skillen, Erika Zimmerman, Trenton Hitchcock, Connor Lewis and Owen Nielson, took on the task of out-smarting the tough U-Prep team to a battle of science wits.
“It felt great to see the salty tears running down their faces. I’ve honestly never been happier,” said team member Lewis.
The competition tests students on various subjects.
“This event is a fiercely technical and challenging question and answer competition among teams of participating middle school and high school students within 10 counties in Northern California: Lassen, Butte, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, and Trinity. Students answer incredibly difficult questions in various math and science categories: Biology, chemistry, Earth science, physics, and energy,” according to the Far Nor Cal Regional Science Bowl, which is sponsored by the Redding Utility District.
According to McCullough, the team last year was able to make it to the semi-finals for regional, but the overall strength of the group helped bump up the 2018 crew. At the competition in Redding, they faced about 45 teams from 13 schools.
“They have a broad base of knowledge, a good sense of timing and they work very well together,” said McCullough.
The local Science Bowl team prepared for regional since about November, and they have their work cut out for them for Nationals in April.
As part of their prize, the local Science Bowl team will get an all-expense-paid trip to Washington D.C.
“I’m both incredibly proud and nervous about going to nationals,” said Science Bowl teammate Skillen.
However, in addition to representing Lassen High School at the National Science Bowl, the students will also get to visit historical monuments and museums in the nation’s capitol.
The competition will take place from April 26 to April 30.
